Feeler mechanism for looms



June 112, 11923. 11,458,311

A. J. ROOSE FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS FiledLJune 19. 1922 IHVEHTOTZ' siren ALBERT J. HOUSE, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER CORPORA- 'I'ION, OF HOPEDALE, JTVIASSAGHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELEE MECEANISM FOR LOOMS.

Application filed June 19, 1922. -Serlal "No. 569,267.

To aZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. Roosn a subject of the King of Belgium, residing at Lawrence. county of Essex, State of Massae chusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing repre- 1c senting' like parts.

This invention relates to a. feeler mechanism for filling replenishing looms for detecting and indicating substantial exhaustion of the filling on the running filling carrier and in which the feeler mechanism is of that type comprising an impinging member and a detecting member preferably in the form of a penetrating member adapted to penetrate the filling mass while the impinging member is adapted to impinge against the filling mass on each detecting beat up of the lay. The detecting or penetrating member thus has no movement with respect to the impinging member so long as there is a working supply of filling on the running filling carrier, but when the filling has run off so that the filling carrier is substantially exhausted the detecting or penetrating member comes into contact with a hard surface of the barrel of the filling carrier and is thus -moved with respect to the impinging member and this movement is utilized to initiate filling replenishment.

The object of the present invention is to provide for the protection of the detecting or penetrating member so as to prevent its filling replenishment initiating movement with respect to the impinging member whenever there is an improper presentation of a 40 hard surface opposite the members. Such an improper presentation may occur upon the rebound or mispositioning of the shuttle at the detecting end of the lay whereby the wall of the shuttle or the clamping device in the shuttle for gripping the base of the bobbin or other hard surface is presented opposite the detecting member.

The object of the invention is further and more particularly toprovide for the foregoing purpose a protecting projection extending rearwardly from the face of the -impinging member above the detecting or penetratin member. I I

The nature and objects of the invention shuttle improperly positioned on the detecting beat-up.

The feeler mechanism of this invention is particularly designed for use in connection with the well-known Northrop type of automatic filling replenishing loom and as that type of loom is well-known and familiar to those skilled in the art no illustrationor de 'scription thereof'is necessary.

The feeler mechanism itself, except for the novel feature involved in this invention, is also of a type well-known to those skilled in the art. One form of this type of feeler mechanism corresponding closely to that herein illustrated in connection with the present invention is disclosed in the patent to Nichols, 1,380,157 granted May 31, 1921..

In this type of feeler mechanism the feeler stand 1 is secured to the breast beam 2 at the filling detecting side of the loom at a point opposite the base of'the barrel of the run ning filling'carrier when the shuttle is boxed at this side of the loom. The feeler slide is mounted for forward and rearward movement in the feeler stand and is shown as comprising a cylindrical stem 3 projecting forwardly from a cross bar 4 and two arms 5 projecting rearwardly from this cross bar. The cross bar i and stem 3 are located in the hollow box-like structure of the stand and the stem is surrounded by a helical spring 6 which normally tends to hold the feeler slide yieldingly projected rearwardly.

At their rearward ends the arms 5 of the feeler slide terminate in the impinging member 7. I I

' The detecting member which is shown in the form of a penetrating or needle-like member 8 provided with a sharp or wedgeshaped efi'ective end 9 is mounted to slide forwardly and rearwardly'in the impinging member and thus not only has movement with the impinging member but a movement with respect to the impinging member. It is the latter movement which in this type of feeler mechanism is available of to effect the In thev initiation of filling replenishment.

construction illustrated the penetrating memberv is bent upwardly and forwardly at to contact with the'head of an adjustable screw 11 carried by the finger 12 pivoted at, 13 between the side bars 5 ofthe impinging member. This finger 12 is held in its raised 5 or inactive position and in contact withthe forward end of the penetrating member by 'any suitable means such as the vertical pin 14 pressed upwardly by the helical spring 15. A controller 16 novable in a guide slot 17 in the feeler stand is connected in a usual and familiar manner with the filling replenishing mechanism. When the finger 12'is in its elevated or inactive positionillustrated its path of movement forwardly with the feeler slide is above the controller so that the notched forward end 18 of the finger cannot catch and move the controller as the feeler slide moves forwardly under the impact ofthe lay and against the tension of the spring 6. But if when this movement of the'feeler slide takes place the finger'12 is depressed to bring its notched end 18 op- .posite, the controller-16 then theconti'oller I will he caught by the finger and carried forwardly with the feeler slide and effect an initiation offilling replenishment.

. The filling carrier is shown in the form of the usualbobbin havingthe base 19 and barrel 20 and carried and heldby the usual clamps 21 in the shuttle 22 which is picked back" and forth on the lay 23.- At the end ofeachpick the shuttle enters a shuttle box one wall 24-01 which is shown at the detecting end of the lay. The wall 24 of the shuttle box and the-adjacent wall of the huttle 22' are apertured to permit the enj ,:,trance-of the detecting members of the feeler slide into the shuttle. J

The operation of this type of feeler mechanism is familiar and-ingeneral is as fol lows. So long as there is a sufiicient sup- .-ply of filling on the'running filling'oarrier when Oil the beat-up of the lay the filling carriercomes into contact with the feeler,

a the penetrating member sinks into the mass of filling and the, impinging member contacts with the mass of-filling. As the beatup continues the feeler slide moves forv wardly but thereis no movement of the penetrating member with respect to the'impinging member and consequently the notched end 18 of the finger 12. passes over the controller 16. When, however, the [illinghas become substantially exhausted the surface of the barrel 20 of the filling carrier will contact, Wlth the penetrating member pushingit forwardly inand with respect to the impinging member and. in turn rocking the finger 12 to bring its notched end 18 into line with the end of the controller 16.

As the beat-up now continues'the feeler slide moves forwardly with the parts remaining' in this position and the notched end 18 of thefinger 12 catching the con troller 16carries it forwardly and initiates filling replenishment.

It will thus be seen that it is important that the detecting or penetrating member 8 shall not be given a movement with respect to the impinging member 7 except when the running filling has become substantially ex; ha-usted andthe end ofthe detecting or penetrating member is thus brought into onagement with the hard surface of theb'arrel 20 of the'filling carrier. If, for example, the shuttle rebounds or is misposit'ioned or improperly boxed at the detectingend of the loom some hard surface such as the wall of the shuttle or the face of the filling car rier clamp 21 may be broughtinto contact with the end of the detectingor penetrating member and thus improperly 'eife'ctits movement with respect to the impinging member and thus cause premature initiation of filling replenishment. The present invention obviates this diihs culty by providing on the face of theinr pinging member a protecting projection ex-- tending rearwardly from the face of the impinging member above the, detecting member. In the preferred form ofthe in-.

vention this protecting projection issecured by curving the faceof the impinging memberupwardly and rearwardly from the detecting member to form the protecting projection 25. and this is best effected by curving the face of the impinging member to conform substantially to'the opposed surface of the'barrel20 of the fillingicarrierp It will be understood that the terms above an'df upwardly usedi with respect to the projection 25 in its r elationto the penetratingmember are terms of relation and not of limitation because it is im-.-"*

movement of the detecting or penetrating member with respect to the impinging member. But if there is no such-improper presentation of a hard'surface opposite the said beat-up will take the blow without effecting members this-protectin projection will not interfere with the engagement of the hard surface of the filling carrier barrel-2O to efing member with respect tothe impinging member when therunning filling is substantially' exhausted.

Having thus described m invention what fect movement of the detecting-or penetrat- I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A feeler mechanism for looms comprising an impinging member adapted to engage and be moved forwardly by the running filling carrier upon a detecting beat, a detecting member movable with and with respect to the impinging member, means actuated by movement of the detecting member with respect to the impinging member followed by forward movement of the detecting member with the impinging member for initiating filling replenishment, the impinging member having a protecting projection extending rearwardly from its face above the detecting member whereby upon the improper presentation of a hard surface opposite the said members upon the detecting beat the blow will be taken by the said projection without effecting movement of the detecting member with respect to the impinging member.

2. A feeler mechanism for looms comprising the construction defined in claim 1 in which the face of the impinging member is curved upwardly and rearwardly from the detecting member in substantial conformity to the surface of the barrel of the filling carrier to form the said protecting projection.

3. A feeler mechanism for looms comprising an impinging member adapted to engage and be moved forwardly by the running filling carrier upon the detecting beat, a penetrating detecting member having a penetrating portion normally projecting rearwardly beyond the face of the impinging member and movable with and with respect to the impinging member, means actuated by movement of the penetrating member with respect to the impinging member followed by forward movement of the penetrating member with the impinging member for initiating filling replenishment, the impinging member having a protecting projection extending rearwardly from its face above the penetrating member whereby upon the improper presentation of a hard surface opposite said members upon the detecting beat the blow will be taken by the said projection without effecting movement of the penetrating member with respect to the impinging member.

4. A ,feeler mechanism for looms comprising the construction defined in claim 2 in which the face of the impinging member is curved upwardly and rearwardly from the detecting member in substantial conformity to the surface of the barrel of the filling carrier to form the said protecting projection.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name v to this specification.

ALBERT J. HOUSE. 

